Morgan, Rangers Blast Athletics

Mike Morgan returned to the mound where he started it all 21 years ago as a high school phenom. He walked away with his best start in nine years.

"What keeps me going? The phone keeps ringing," the 39-year-old Morgan said Sunday after pitching the Texas Rangers past the Oakland Athletics 6-2 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Mike Morgan is 3-0 for the first time since 1990.

"Until somebody doesn't need me it's, `Have Arm, Will Travel,' " Morgan said. "When I do retire, I'm going to leave it between the lines. But it's not quite over yet."

Morgan took a three-hitter into the seventh and wound up allowing both runs and five hits in six-plus innings. He is the only Texas starter with a win he has two in the team's last six games.

"He calls somebody every year and begs for a job," Texas manager Johnny Oates said with a grin, "and fortunately we're the ones who got him this year. There's nothing wrong with him."

Morgan has two wins as a starter this season and one in relief.

"He wouldn't let us put any hits together." Oakland manager Art Howe said. "They gave him runs to work with early and that made a big difference."

Todd Zeile and Lee Stevens hit consecutive home runs, and Rafael Palmeiro went 4-for-4 with two RBIs.

Oakland starter Mike Oquist (1-1) left after 2 1-3 innings when Rusty Greer's line drive struck him on the left wrist, causing a bruise. The A's don;t think Oquist will miss any starts.

"That's one I probably should have (caught)," Oquist said. "I jabbed at it. I just jabbed too far."

Oquist gave up three runs and six hits, and reliever Kevin Jarvis allowed three runs and five hits in 2 2-3 innings.

Oakland (6-7) had been seeking to move over .500 for the first time since opening day, but wound up with a 4-2 homestand that started against Aaheim.

"We took two out of three from both clubs in our division," Howe said. "We took it to two teams which came in hot. You have to look at it realistically. When you come into a series, the goal is to win the series. If you do that, you'll have a heck of a season."

Palmeiro had an RBI single in the first, and Oakland added two more runs in the third. Mark McLemore doubled with one out, and Greer's liner went off Oquist to third baseman Eric Chavez, whose throw bounced and skipped past first for a run-scoring error.

Juan Gonzalez singled off Jarvis, and Palmeiro's sacrifice fly made it 3-0. Zeile's third homer of the season and Stevens' fourth put Texas ahead 5-0 in the fourth.

Jason Giambi hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom half his fourth in four games and Morgan left in the seventh after Matt Stairs doubled and scored on Ben Grieve's single.

Ivan Rodriguez hit an RBI single in the fifth.

Notes: Oakland's Tony Phillips was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing with plate umpire Dan Morrison on his way out to his position. ... Giambi has nine hits in his last 15 at-bats with a double, four homers and seven RBIs. ... Oakland is 4-0 in series-ending games, while Texas is 3-1. ... Howe returned to the team after attending the funeral of his father, Art Sr., who died last week in Pittsburgh. The A's were 2-0 while Ken Macha filled in.

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